Thankfully, September has finally arrived. August has been a challenging month for me. We’ve had considerable work done on the house, and even though I didn’t do much of the work myself I’ve had to be here while house-painters, window-installers and yard-workers have done their work. In other words, I haven’t been able to hit the road like I’d hoped, though I have managed to get out at least weekly, walking Theler Wetlands in Belfair most of the month.That should end shortly.
Summer birding around here isn’t nearly as exciting as Fall, Spring, or even Winter birding, but I do enjoy Theler every time I’m there and would probably make it a daily walk if it wasn’t a 45 minute drive away. I enjoy the four mile plus walk along the creek, through the woods, and next to the Sound whether alone or walking with a group of fellow birders.
Summer is the greenest month of all,
and there’s no place better to revel in the greenness of it all than in the mixed forests at the beginning and the end of the walk where small trees and shrubs crowd the feet of cedars and firs.
I generally see the same birds visit after visit, though occasionally there’s a surprise passer-by. Luckily, I never tire of hearing the warning cry of Killdeer as I walk by,
never tire of the golden flash of American Goldfinch,
never tire of walking through a flock of diving swallows, whether Tree Swallows, Cliff Swallows, or Barn Swallows like this waiting to feed its young until I pass.
It may not be exciting, but it feels comfortable, like home. I’m always thankful Theler Wetlands doesn’t belong to an individual owner and hope fellow visitors feel, like I do, that they belong here.
Love that last shot of the barn swallow, particularly since it has to share my attention and affection with that incredible tree branch/stump, so vivid and almost alive with vibrant color, contour & texture. As they are fond of saying on Flickr: “Great capture!”